Letters To The Editor

Tue., Dec. 29, 1998

WASHINGTON STATE

Locke no help with burning issue

By the latter 1980s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) understood two very important facts that should have fundamentally altered the nation’s waste disposal policy.

First, government officials knew incineration produced dioxin one of the most potent, toxic and carcinogenic chemicals known to science.

Second, EPA scientists knew dioxin accumulates through the food chain, much like the banned pesticide DDT accumulates in the environment. Dioxin is a persistent substance that stores easily in the tissues of plants and animals.

Despite this information, incineration has rapidly grown throughout the country as the “profitable answer” for disposal of the nation’s stockpile of toxic waste and garbage. In fact, incineration does not destroy the waste, it transforms it. Dioxin, lead, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other air emissions from incinerator smokestacks are widely dispersed, resulting in uncontrolled pollution of the surrounding water, soil and farm land.

For years, thousands of very sick citizens of Washington state and their concerned physicians have petitioned Gov. Gary Locke and Tom Fitzsimmons from the Department of Ecology to stop all forms of toxic waste and agricultural burning. Instead, the burning escalates and the air we breathe becomes more and more poisonous. Yet, the sources of these deadly attacks become more numerous, making future lawsuits against Washington state more difficult.

If Locke wanted the burning to stop, it already would have. Instead, we are given false promises, evasion and trivializing of this most serious problem. Up to 90 percent of all cancers are thought to be due to the effect of environmental carcinogens. Mary D. Berg Spokane

Tax reform would boost job growth

I am looking for a job, as are other many other December graduates. Every day I pick up the paper only to be disheartened by the reports. The headlines of Washington’s newspapers announce layoffs in the state’s largest employer: 48,000 at Boeing. The state’s largest industry supports many other industries in this state. This situation does not bode well for the job hunter.

To have the region’s economy so greatly dependent on one company stifles growth. The government exists for the good of the people. Yet the government of this state is not working hard enough to create new jobs.

The very businesses that could absorb some of the laid off workers locate elsewhere due to the B&O tax, which is based on gross revenue. A business owes this tax even if it loses money. Many businesses lose money during their first year (or lose money after paying the tax if they made little profit). It would be far better for the economy to calculate this tax based on net profit. This would encourage more businesses to start in this state by reducing the risk of doing so.

I encourage you to write to your representatives regarding this matter. When all of us have voiced our opinions, it will be their duty to change this tax and bring greater prosperity to us all.

Your state representatives’ addresses and information about the B&O tax can be found on my web site at: http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/District/1562/tax.htm Brandon S. Davis Issaquah, Wash. (formerly of Pullman)

THE ENVIRONMENT

Restoration efforts quite thorough

In a Nov. 26 article, several inaccurate statements were made regarding environmental source control projects on the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River. Staff writer Julie Titone writes that these are “state” actions and that restoration measures, vegetation and wetland development were not “thorough.”

Fifteen miles of headwater tributaries have been the focus of coordinated actions sponsored by the Silver Valley Natural Resource Trustees, the Coeur d’Alene Basin Restoration Project, USEPA, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Fish and Game, Shoshone County, Hecla Mining Co. and Silver Valley Resources. The projects use voluntary Superfund authorities and are cost-effective.

During this collaborative process, multi-agency technical teams are challenged to solve real problems on the ground. High priority removals of contaminated floodplain soils and tailings with heavy concentrations of zinc and lead (up to 159,000 ppm in Canyon Creek) leave acres of floodplain with insufficient, damaged alluvial soils. The risk of bringing in soil is that we force the creek to our design and risk undoing of work in the first flood event in these steep canyons.

One important concept has been applied. By removing the leaching metals, we are giving Mother Nature a boost to recover on her terms. River and floodplain stabilization are designed to encourage the accretion of sediments to provide a base for future vegetation in areas that prove stable. Twenty acres were encouraged to wetlands. Importantly, federal, state and private parties have cooperated to reduce the zinc load to the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River while gaining directly applicable experience. Marti Calabretta Osburn, Idaho

Dams are environmental assets

The four lower Snake River dams produce enough electricity for all of Idaho and Montana, with a little left over. If these dams are taken out, it will cost $150 million to $360 million more to generate this much electricity from the burning of fossil fuels the only realistic source of energy available. Since the world is trying to cut down on greenhouse gases produced by fossil fuel burning, those who are really interested in protecting the environment are trying to protect the dams. Help save the dams, since they produce electricity without polluting. Greg Jones Colfax, Wash.

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Steelworkers, you’re doing what’s right

I’m thankful to all Kaiser strikers and their families for their sacrifices, and for standing together to preserve fair labor practices and the collective bargaining process. United we stand. Bless you. Steve Warren Spokane

Steelworkers protective, not selfish

As the wife of a striking Steelworker, I feel the need to set the record straight regarding the Dec. 19 letter from David W. Ellis. He seems to think it’s his lot in life to stick with a $750-a-month job and begrudge those who have tried to do better.

These jobs were not handed to these men and women, and because of their hard work, Kaiser is showing a profit. There were many years of shift work, working overtime to meet quotas, working in extreme heat during the summer months and bitter cold during winter. We have given back in wages and benefits so the company could remain open during the bad times. Kaiser is now doing very well and needs to give back also.

Even if Kaiser had closed in the early 1980s, most Steelworkers would have kept looking for that better job and wouldn’t have given up. If Ellis hasn’t noticed, there are better jobs out there.

No, we are not selfish and spoiled, just protective of what we have worked years to achieve. Vicki Folk Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Endorsement was matter of principle

I was bothered, though not surprised, when I read how Mike Hanson, Republican Pend Oreille County Commissioner and Republican state committeeman, is being censured by the state Republican Party for publicly endorsing the American Heritage Party’s candidate, John Beal, for Congress over George Nethercutt this past election (Dec. 14).

It’s distressing to see that party loyalty is demanded over and against adherence to one’s conscience and principle. This nation must prize government founded on principle, rather than just on inordinate and blind party loyalty. I applaud Hanson’s intestinal fortitude. We need more officeholders like him.

He will be a featured speaker at the upcoming American Heritage Party of Spokane County’s reorganizational meeting. The meeting will be Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., at Millwood Town Hall, 9103 East Fredrick. For more information visit the Spokane County AHP Web site, http://www.cet.com/dlavoie/ahpsc. Jeff Halfhide Spokane

Far-righteous control GOP

Watching recent events unfold reminds me of why I will not vote for Republicans.

The people calling themselves the Grand Old Party and the Moral Majority aren’t able to develop any semblance of independence and are waiting for the party leadership to tell them the difference between right and wrong.

I fully expect at any time the announcement by Pat Robertson, Randy Tate and Tom DeLay that a witch has been burned at the stake to protect my morals. Gary E. Jackson Newman Lake

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

We elect people who must follow law

Regarding the Dec. 21 letter, “Republicans have done worse.”

Nearly every time I read letters in this paper about our current impeachment situation, I am made more grateful for our Constitution, the rule of law and our founding fathers’ wisdom in establishing this government as a republic, a democratic republic.

If we had a pure democracy, Rep. Henry Hyde could just use poll results to decide whether this popular president should be impeached. And if I and enough others did not like people like letter writers Robert M. and Janet G. Stevenson, who think this is a pure democracy and that to apply the law to Clinton is “overthrowing the will of the people,” we could just throw them in jail or do whatever else we all decided they most deserved.

Fortunately for them and for all of us, we do have a few good men left who are determined to see that the rule of law is applied equally, in spite of what is deemed popular.

Maybe I missed something when I voted in the last two elections. Were we voting for king or for president? Reese G. Larson Spokane

Cart being put before the horse

Now that Congress feels it has to defend the judicial system from the president, it has a new classification for big government or a bigger credibility problem than the president has.

The last time I looked, there were laws for perjury and obstruction of justice committed against the interests of the court. And the last time I looked, the president had not been indicted for these offenses before a court of law.

Congress has already proven that it has no capacity to take up judicial issues by itself. If there is a lack of trust and a credibility problem, the GOP better look in the mirror. Joan E. Harman Coeur d’Alene

Military doesn’t do political errands

Re: “Three Members of Idaho delegation question bombing,” (Dec. 18).

The president is not an emperor and our generals are not robots. If Clinton had difficulty getting the military to accept his policy toward gays, how can anyone believe he could force the military to bomb a foreign country, even Iraq, just to divert attention from his impeachment?

Sens. Larry Craig, Dirk Kempthorne and Rep. Chenoweth are simply playing their vicious parts in the Republicans’ unspeakable coup attempt against our president. I hope the loyal Americans in Idaho will remove these people at election time. Jim P. McDonald Spokane

Note glutton-for-punishment pattern

This impeachment farce and the negative consequences for the Republican Party so far (ie. the resignation of Newt Gingrich and now, Bob Livingston) again illustrate how foolish it is to cast the first stone. John Christopherson Spokane

U.S. AND THE WORLD

Bombing of Iraq cruelly timed

Defense Secretary William Cohen told CNN on Dec. 18, “We are sensitive to the issue of Ramadan, but there is no fixed end time. Bombing (Iraq) may resume after Ramadan.”

The United States planned this egregious attack to last exactly four days and nights, and deliberately bombed Iraq during the initial 36 hours of Ramadan. Ramadan is a grueling, monthlong, daytime fast from all food and liquids that is physically debilitating. It is also supposed to be a prolonged period of intense prayer and contemplation.

The Iraqis are now forced to bury and mourn their dead, tend to their wounded, rebuild their infrastructure and re-establish supply lines while under the extreme duress brought about by marathon fasting. That they face the ghastly specter of resumed U.S. bombing at the end of Ramadan, when they will be completely physically exhausted, is unconscionable.

This assault could have been carried out months ago but was deliberately timed to coincide with Islam’s most holy period. If this latest undeclared war constitutes U.S. “sensitivity,” one can only begin to imagine what atrocities comprise U.S. insensitivity. Margaret E. Koivula Spokane

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